The view from The Ridge

Robin YasinSac- Gillespie, Local Tracks

Published 9:34 pm, Wednesday, June 13, 2012

When promoter Bruce Richards decided to lay down pavement at Albany-Saratoga Speedway a few years ago, some drivers welcomed the change and adapted to the new surface while others searched for a new home for their Friday night hobby.

Some decided to give promoters Mike Romano and Jake Spraker a chance and now spend their Friday nights at the duo's Glen Ridge Motorsport Park, known as The Ridge.

Romano and Spraker leased the oval in July 2007. As the facility improved over the years so did the racing, the car counts and the race fans. The duo's hard work was paying off.

Last season Kenny Tremont decided to make The Ridge his home base and fans flocked there to watch him win his first title.

"Having Kenny there last year really gave us credibility," Romano said. "The racing is really exciting to watch there and it was catching on."

But the Richards family's blacktop venture wasn't successful and the property was for put up for sale. Shortly afterward, the family said it would lease the Malta oval to Lebanon Valley Speedway owner Howard Commander. The oval was scheduled to reopen for the 2012 race season. but only after the dirt surface was put back.

"We finally got the credibility and then it seemed like it was all wiped away when Malta opened again," Romano said.

While Albany Saratoga Speedway's promoter, Lyle DeVore, pulls in impressive car counts (35 modifieds and 55 budget sportsmen) Romano and Spraker were lucky to get a dozen in each division.

"It's disheartening for us to see how far we've gone. We have a great point fund for the 602s, we have a great purse for the 402s and you see 60 guys go to Malta where they pay $15 to start and we pay $50 and we are getting 11 cars — it makes me look at the wall and shake my head," Romano said.

But Romano, a successful race car driver in the past, understands.

"I think as a racer you like to go where there is history. Everybody wants to be part of the crowd, and truthfully, last year, when we had such big car counts, a lot of those cars were Malta guys that didn't want to run blacktop," said Romano who has 48 career wins at Fonda Speedway.

"I don't think that it is because they dislike us. For some of them it was their home track, so they are going back home. Another driver that supported us for three or four years only lives three-quarters of a mile from Malta, so why would he continue to come here?"

Romano and Spraker did the only thing they thought would work: They switched to racing on Sunday, a schedule they will evaluate at the end of the session.

On Sunday, their first attempt, they fielded 21 modifieds and 42 budget sportsmen.

"We were happy. It went pretty good," Romano said. "It was our first afternoon show that we've ever done, and it's not an easy thing to do when it is 85 degrees and sunny out, but we did it."

But what will happen when the purse goes back to normal?

"I'm not really sure," Romano said. "I looked at a lot of the guys that were there last night and I don't think they were there because of the money — I think some of them are looking for something to do on a Sunday. I hope that's the case. I guess we'll look at it in two weeks and see what we've got and if they keep supporting us."

Nobody knows what the future holds at The Ridge. The Malta facility is still on the market and may succumb in the near future.

Save the date

On Tuesday, June 26, Lebanon Valley Speedway will present the popular Eve of Destruction showdown that includes a roll-over contest, school bus racing and some extreme stunts.